John Spalding, former guitar player for late 90's Tooth & Nail band Ninety Pound Wuss, died on Sunday November 23, 2008 after a grueling four year battle against cancer. John was 33 years old and leaves behind a wife, his mother and father and a brother and sister.

Spalding was a mild-mannered, working class man beloved as much for his uncommon warmth and generosity as he was respected for his mad genius when he wielded a guitar. Spalding cranked out the most caustic, angular, yet memorable riffs imaginable showcasing some of the best, and highly underrated, creative moments of the Tooth & Nail catalog.

After Spalding’s time in Ninety Pound Wuss, he went on to play in the art-damaged, classic rock meets punk infused Raft of Dead Monkey’s with other Tooth & Nail roster alumni. Spalding then studied abroad to finish his culinary schooling before going on to work at hip, fusion inspired Seattle area café’s until the time of his cancer diagnosis.

Over the years, Spalding amassed a sizeable library of home recording demos that, after his diagnosis, became a music project titled LoveLand. Members of Seattle area bands Minus The Bear, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Botch, These Arms Are Snakes, Roadside Monument, Blood Brothers, and others contributed to the recording that simply defies genre classification in a yet-to-be release titled, “The Beautiful Truth.” You can hear Loveland here.

While most people’s spirits would be utterly ravaged by the experience of debilitating disease, John Spalding was the rare exception of a man that embodied redemption in his remaining days. John invited others in to his life and pulled people together for the sake of faith, hope, love and music. He will be sorely, sorely missed.

You can donate to the John D. Spalding Medical Fund at any Bank of America branch. All proceeds go to his wife, Jody.

Brother John, rest easy, pain-free in the loving arms of your savior.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.